The Imo State Police Command has announced the arrest of a landlord whose identity is still unknown after shooting a boy identified as Paul who jumped into his house to retrieve a ball during a game of football.

PUNCH Metro gathered on Wednesday that Paul and his fellow schoolmates were playing football on Monday within their Urban Secondary School field in Area N, World Bank Housing Estate in Owerri, the Imo State capital, when the ball entered the next building.

However, the ball bounced out and landed in the now-arrested landlord?s house. In an attempt to retrieve the ball, Paul jumped into the man?s property and was shot around the waist which left him lying critically in pain.

When contacted about the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, confirmed the landlord?s arrest.

Okoye said, ?The man has been arrested, and an investigation is ongoing. The victim is currently receiving treatment at the hospital.?

However, Paul?s guardian, Jonathan Odikanwa, who was seen running helter-skelter for surgery on his son told our correspondent on Wednesday that he was concerned about his child and didn?t want to escalate the issue.

The businessman said, ?I thank you for coming to interview me. However, I don?t want to escalate the issue for now. I just want my boy to survive this critical period.

?The X-ray showed that there is no bullet in his body but doctors are wondering why his bowel movements are not working. He is scheduled for surgery for them to look into his stomach and see what is going on there.

?So for now, what I earnestly want from you and everyone else is to join us to pray for him to survive. He?s been crying for water but the doctors are trying to find out what is causing the problem with the bowel movements.?

I know he is in pain but until after the procedure and the success, I don?t want to say anything. Just join us and pray for my son to survive?.

Paul has lived with the Odikanwa family for about eight years from where he began schooling and is currently in JSS 1 at the Urban Secondary School Owerri. (The PUNCH)

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